3065 Rosecrans Place #203
San Diego, CA 92110
MEET THE TEAM
James M. Esler CFP*, CFA
Chief Executive Officer, Co- General Partner
James has a working knowledge of finance, having taken and passed exams in the disciplines of Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Corporate Finance, Portfolio Management, Quantitative Strategy, Economics, Fixed Income Strategy, Equity Valuation, Retirement Planning, Risk Strategy, P&C Insurance, Life & Health Insurance, Estate Planning, Education Planning, Machine Learning (Stanford), Data Science (Johns Hopkins), and most importantly ethics. James earned the CFA charter in 2021. In addition, James was a team lead at one of the world’s largest privately-held insurance companies and was a private wealth advisor at one of the world’s largest wealth management firms.
James’ passion is to give clients an incredible experience through the prism of financial planning. He strives to put himself on the same side of the table as his clients, which is the primary reason that he founded an RIA just after he turned 29. Although it’s never easy to be an entrepreneur, James learned what it means to run a business and that experience aligns him with clients even further. His vision is a world where he empowers clients to achieve more as a result of his team’s contribution as well as helping younger people achieve success any way he can.
*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP in the U.S
Anthony Arnold, JD
Co- General Partner
Anthony advises U.S. and foreign investors and companies across a variety of industries, including software and hardware technology, biotechnology, aerospace and defense, industrials and manufacturing, financial and professional services, real estate, and sports, media and entertainment. Clients value his input, appreciate his strong business sense and innovative thinking and, as a result, view him as a trusted adviser and true partner.
As a leader, Anthony manages and provides guidance to deal teams of legal professionals in the areas of securities, debt finance, tax, employment and executive compensation, and environmental law, as well as for accountants, bankers and other professional service providers in connection with structuring negotiating and closing complex transactions. He also routinely serves as outside general counsel to investment funds and their portfolio companies.
What Anthony enjoys most about his transactional practice is analyzing all sides of the critical legal and business issues his clients encounter and working closely with them to develop creative, efficient and value-generating solutions. He strives to add value by leveraging his network – making introductions between investors and connecting them with opportunities that may be of interest – to create bridges between company owners, investors and other potential partners.
Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, Anthony practiced at top-tier law firms throughout Southern California. The counsel he has offered clients has earned him significant respect in the areas of private equity, venture capital, M&A, corporate governance and general corporate transactions.
Earlier in his professional life, Anthony served as in-house counsel at Oaktree Capital Management, where he advised fund managers, investment professionals, company executives and boards of directors on numerous corporate, legal, and regulatory issues.